Dungeon Hero promises to make major strides in the archaic dungeon game segment, citing its chief conceit that the game's titular setting will not be populated by on-rails roving monsters but rather by a fully simulated real-time underground society of goblins, trolls, and imps filling a variety of jobs and social niches. Players will not only hack and slash, but interact with the dungeon's denizens through trade and communication.

Today's announcement did not give any hint as to whether the game will explore the socioeconomic relationships between the inhabitant races, nor allegations that the so-called "War on Pixie Dust" is, in practical fact, becoming little more than a de facto war on the imp class. Nonetheless, players familiar with the real-world workings of fantasy dungeons are expected to come away impressed with the game's attention to detail.

"Dungeon Hero sets itself apart from every dungeon game that has come before it," said Gamecock console head Rick Stults. "We love the realism that the game portrays, the living breathing dungeon aspect is something unique that hasnÂ’t been done anywhere before and thatÂ’s the key to the innovation weÂ’re looking to promote."

London-based Firefly Studios, which also operates a United States office, is largely known for its Stronghold series of strategy and city building games.

Gamecock Media Group plans to ship Firefly Studios' Dungeon Hero for PC and Xbox 360 in early 2009. The publisher sent over two screenshots and a character render from the game.